Hi, I'm Rita Wilkins, also known as the downsizing designer. Today I'm out here, right near boathouse row in Philadelphia. I don't know if you've ever been there but it's such a gorgeous day to be right here near the water. And I wanted to shoot a quick video about something that might be helpful [...]

During the last 36 years, I have designed well over 350 kitchens. Like anything else that you have done many times, you create a process that works, and then over time, you refine it and streamline it to make it even more effective. As a designer, and as a trusted advisor to my clients, my [...]

The quarantine and extended periods of time at home has forced us to see our own homes through a new set of eyes. It has unmasked flaws in our current home designs and layouts. It has exposed what works and doesn’t work given the radical shift in the way we must now live, work and [...]

Is there a particular area of your home that you simply ignore because it’s so cluttered and you have no idea where to begin? It might be a closet, a storage area, a cabinet or some drawers you dread thinking about because it’s been that way for a while and it make you feel guilty.  [...]

By Rita Wilkins, The Downsizing Designer  It’s been almost 4 years since I chose to live a much simpler life with less… 95% less. As the Downsizing Designer, people often ask if I ever regret giving up the big beautiful house I built that was loaded with design details, furniture and unique art and accessories [...]

By Rita Wilkins, The Downsizing Designer Report card day. Remember? Hand written, teacher notes, academic grades, effort grades, and “deportment” grades. Sitting at the kitchen table, our nightly tradition, Mom made one of our favorite casseroles. After our usual lively conversation about the day, we would get the “dreaded” invitation from our Dad, “Let’s have [...]

Help!  I have clutter creep. What's clutter creep? Is it a new disease? No, well, maybe on some levels it is, but mostly it is a bad habit that unless you take control of it, it could probably spread like wildfire. So, how do you know if you have clutter creep? Well for me, since [...]

What have you been noticing and discovering about yourself and those around your since you’ve been in “sheltering in place?” Have you noticed a new mental toughness, a stronger muscle to adapt, navigate and rebound? The impact of COVID-19 on our lives has been profound, but what is even more amazing to me is our [...]